Long time no makeup post, eh? Well I’m going to try to ease myself back into these posts because I definitely do have makeup thoughts. Today I’m going to share some thoughts on different mascaras I’ve used recently. For reference, I have fairly long lashes that do curl naturally and sensitive eyes. I’m looking for volume primarily in my mascara and I prefer drier formulas. Here are my musings. I apologize in advance for some of my dingy-looking mascara tubes and that I lack the coordination to have pictures of the mascaras on my eyeballs:

Maybelline The Colossal Spider Effect Mascara ($10.99 CDN): I don’t hate this mascara but I do hate the wand and kind of feel like I screwed up buying it. I should have put in my research beforehand and found out what wand I’d be dealing with before I bought the mascara. It’s a long skinny synthetic bristled wand that tapers to a point and kind of feels like it is jabbing into my eyeballs when I apply it a certain way. I like that the brush is large and gets in there for some drama quickly but it’s not for me. The mascara performed fine, adding some volume and length but it got too spider-y for my taste when built up. Essentially, it wasn’t one I was excited to reach for because of the wand. It didn’t smudge or flake particularly easy and it removed nicely. I’m lukewarm about this mascara and I kind of agree with their choice to discontinue their Spider Effect version of this mascara.

L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Sculpt Mascara in 873 Blackest Black ($13.99 CDN):This was another case where I didn’t do my research on the wand and made a poor buying decision as a result. It had a weird almost triangular shaped jab-y synthetic brush that was supposed to create fanned-out volume and get in close to the lashes for a tight-lined effect. I will say that it was good at getting close to the lash line and did offer good length and some volume and drama, without smudging or clumping much. The wand shape was a bit too weird for me and I guess I’m just not a synthetic wand kind of girl and I kind of wanted more volume than it did offer.

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Deep Burgundy/ Cobalt ($9.99 CDN):I had tried the L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara before and while I wasn’t floored by it, I did like it, and I found myself purchasing it when they released it in new shades again. I do really like the medium-sized regular natural bristle wand and how easy the wand applies mascara. It provides good volume, length and definition that is somewhat buildable. My only pet peeve with this mascara is that I found it started to flake on me rather early in the tube later on in the day or if I took a bit of a nap, in a way that I didn’t experience with some other mascaras. I also wish that the formula was more volumizing, as that’s what I look for the most in a mascara. I found myself quite liking the formula in coloured variations for some reason. The blue offering isn’t for me, as I don’t find it blue enough to make a statement and it’s not a particularly flattering hue on me. I really like the deep burgundy, though, for an everyday look thats flattering on my blue eyes when I don’t want the full-on black treatment. I will note that it’s not particularly dark and looks noticeably lighter than say black liner. I think it’s great on lighter eyes and would be fantastic on blondes that don’t love the look of black mascara on an everyday basis.

Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Tinted Primer ($11.99 CDN):I can’t give you a full review on how this one performed as a primer because I think I’ve only used it once or twice that way – I honestly can’t be bothered much with mascara primers. I did like the black tint and how much length, volume and separation it offered while still looking natural. As a primer, it being tinted was really helpful, as were the lack of clumps. I did notice an altogether more lash-y volumized look. I really like this mascara as an everyday one, as it’s not frighteningly black, is buildable and adds volume and drama while feeling light on the lashes. I like the medium-sized basic natural bristle wand too.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara ($13.99 CDN):This is a repurchase of mine and is quite possibly the best mascara I’ve ever tried. I love how dry and super volumizing the formula is, and it gives the most dramatic lashes that I’ve ever seen on myself, without making my sensitive eyes irritated. It can get slightly clumpy but I deal with it because I love the formula and the natural bristle large standard shaped wand. It’s not a bitch to remove and doesn’t smudge or anything either. Dare I say holy grail status? I will note that the tube is impossible to keep in good condition.

What’s your current mascara favourite?
Maggie, x.

As I write this post, I’m sitting beside my well-loved bottle of artificial tears and a heaping glass of water (with loads of ice) because I have a major case of allergies and I’m exhausted. From what I’ve gathered, many of us are sick, tired and suffering from allergies so I thought I’d share my pampering skincare routine for helping when we’re under the weather and our skin definitely shows it. I’ll remind you here that my skin is dry and dehydrated for the most part, with a tendency to get eczema whenever it gets upset or the weather changes.

1. Gentle Cream Cleanser

I used the Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser ($18 US) to remove the residual skincare products from the night before and whatever grime was on my face. My skin was dehydrated with my allergies and change of season, as I think many people experience, so a gentle cream cleanser is essential.

2.Hydrating Toner or Essence

This is one of the occasions where I think incorporating one of these products makes the greatest difference. When your skin is dehydrated and a bit irritated, adding back those essential substances that make your skin glowy and hydrated immediately after cleansing helps. I used one of my favourites, the Paula’s Choice RESIST Advanced Replenishing Toner ($24 US), which definitely helped calm my skin, adding back essential fatty acids to restore the skin barrier along with some antioxidants.

3.Azelaic Acid

Depending on your skin care concerns and the state of your skin, this could be replaced with a more traditional chemical exfoliant; after all, the verdicts still out whether or not azelaic acid performs technically as a chemical exfoliant. Because I live in Canada where azelaic acid isn’t available over the counter, I actually used Finacea, a prescription only product. It’s anti-inflammatory activity keeps my skin the most calmed, clear, bright and radiant that my skin has ever been.

4. A Powerhouse Serum

This step will differ depending on your skin concerns, but you want it to be gentle and loaded with beneficial ingredients. I went with Laneige Bright Renew Original Serum ($59) because it has a gorgeous milky texture and soothes the skin while brightening, with niacinamide, squalene and liquorice root extract.

5.A Facial Oil

6. An Eye Cream

I normally believe that eye creams and overpriced an unnecessary but when you’re suffering through a cold or allergies, you can typically use something a bit extra in the under the eye area, but it needs to be gentle. My pick was the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado ($39).

7. A Good Moisturizer

This seems like such a blah heading but it’s all I could come up with. This will have sun protection in it, if you’re going the routine during the day (and got your life together before 5 pm unlike me) and will perhaps be a little richer in the evening. Because my skin is so thirsty, I slathered on the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($35) but I’m sure this would entirely be too heavy for someone who is not on the drier end of the spectrum. This step is going to depend heavily upon your skin type.

Any thoughts?

Maggie, x.

I know I’ve mentioned before that melting vendor wax is another one of my hobbies; this post is going to detail one of those vendors I’ve ordered from. I’ve had my warmers on daily and I thought that I’d share with you some thoughts on one of the vendors I’ve tried, Sassy Girl Aroma. Sassy Girl Aroma is a fairly established vendor wax company, run by a woman named Julie and her husband, Tyrell. It ships internationally and is a ready to ship company that has stock on their website constantly and has at least monthly replenishes of stock. The pricing for my shipping within Canada was on the average side and it got to me within 10 days. There’s a Facebook group that she runs where you can keep on top of the upcoming replenishes and the like. I try to stay too much out of the drama, but I will note that within the last year, there was some drama between Julie, her former admin and some customers of hers. I don’t believe any party handled themselves particularly well. I won’t talk more about this more here but I’m sure you can find more information easily. Sassy Girl Aroma isn’t one of my absolute favourite vendors but I do enjoy the wax and will likely purchase from again. Now let’s get down to the rundown of the scents I currently have of hers:

1. Pink Chiffon Gain Soft Blankets Chunk Bag ($10.80 US/ 9-9.5 ounces): This scent is a somewhat generic Gain laundry scent, combined with a similarly generic women’s perfume scent. The throw was on the lower side, even in my medium-small bedroom. My dissatisfaction is likely a result of a first time buyer error, as it was a somewhat blah scent and I think it’s one of the rare scents that does not linger or put off a large amount of scent.

2. Pink Sugar Lavender Mist Chunk Bag ($10.80 US/ 9-9.5 ounces):This was another purchase from my first order. I had thought that I’d adore anything pink sugar because of the hype and my love of lavender, which the pink sugar is paired with. It’s a pink sugar (the Aqualina perfume duplication) scent that is blended with lavender mist. I’d describe the lavender mist as a sweet floral, with traditional lavender note. However, I get a really weird biscuit-y note when blended. I don’t hate this scent but I definitely fell victim to the hype. It has a medium throw and good longevity.

3. Pink Sugar Sleepytime Chunk Bag ($10.80 US/9-9.5 ounces): Apparently upon learning that I was not wild about pink sugar from my first order, I went ahead and ordered a scent that featured it because it was blended with my favourite sweet lavender, chamomile and spearmint blend. I don’t dislike the scent but I’m unable to melt it for too long without the dominant pink sugar giving me a headache. I will note that if you like the Aqualina perfume, it’s a lovely calming girly blend. It has a great throw that lasts. It’s my own fault that I don’t love my purchase here.

4. Pink Sugar Ocean Breeze Chunk Bag ($10.60 US/ 9-9.5 ounces): Surprise! I bought even more pink sugar on that very same order because it was blended with a fresh beauty ozone scent, called ocean breeze. The throw on this one is kind of out of this world and the ocean breeze is dominant for the most so I really like it until the pink sugar becomes dominant and I have a tendency to get a headache. It’s a unique blend that performs well.

5. Salty Sea Air Sweet Lavender Marshmallow Chunk Bag ($10.80 US/ 9-9.5 ounces): On that same order, I apparently did not lose my mind altogether. I did decide to order a scent that was not, in fact, pink sugar based. The marshmallow note was definitely outside of my comfort zone but I ended up really enjoying this one. I’d describe the scent as an event split between marshmallow and the salty sea air. Salty sea air is a kind of watered down ocean breeze scent, in my opinion. The sweet lavender lingers in the background. It has a moderate, room-filling throw.

6. Olive Branch Salty Sea Air Shaving Cream Chunk Bag ($10.80 US/ 9-9.5 ounces):This is my most recently purchased scent from the company and it sits among my favourites. I’d describe it as a unique non-talcum shaving cream thats blended with that fresh ozone and the citrusy Lush-inpired scent. It has that nice room-filling throw that isn’t overwhelming and the blend reads as fresh and energizing. I really enjoy her shaving cream scent.

7. Pumpkin Spiced Latte Bundts ($6 US/ 5 ounces): This caramel-dominant Bath and Body Works scent duplication is spot on. However, like the candle, these bunts were too sweet for me to handle for more than a few hours. The scent is extremely caramel heavy and it’s definitely a thrower.

8. Sleepytime Clamshell ($3.50 US/ 2.9 ounces):This is my favourite bedtime scent blend that I’ve tried. It’s oh-so-calming and is one of my top three scents that I’ve tried period. It’s a perfect blend of sweet lavender, chamomile and spearmint. I’ve repurchased it and ordered back-ups. It has a moderate scent throw that lasts for days and days. I would highly recommend it.

I was kind of thinking that maybe I shouldn’t be writing these kind of wishlist posts because they aren’t as helpful or as informative as reviews but they help me not overbuy and hone in on the products that are actually worthy of purchasing. Also, I think they can be very interesting and entertaining to read. I actually find myself liking hearing what others have their eyes on and if you do too read on:

Fenty Beauty Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter Duo in Sand Castle/ Mint Mojito’d ($44 CDN): I’ve been curious to try these cream-powder hybrid highlighters from Fenty and even though weird highlighter colours aren’t my thing, I’ve wanted to give this shimmery bronze-taupe and icy blue duo a try. I’ve really found myself liking using highlighters as eyeshadow on the daily and I think I’d at least get use of the colour scheme in eyeshadow form. I want to be adventurous enough to try this as a highlighter, but I don’t know if that would be practical.

Zeep Bath Lavender Soda Clammie ($4 US):I went through a major vendor wax moment last year but after I went through a brief period when I was having stomach trouble, I had lost interest in burning scented things – as the scents did not help with my nausea. Recently, I’ve been getting back into melting wax and I desperately want more of this effervescent lavender citrus scent. It’s uplifting and calming at once and it makes me anxious to be almost out of it.

Dior Backstage Face and Body Foundation ($50 CDN): Would it be one of my wishlist posts without including at least one foundation? Likely not. My longtime love, the Diorskin Star Foundation seems to be disappearing online and I fear it has been discontinued. This foundation seems to have many of the same claims and if my fears are correct, it is the replacement product. I’m really excited about the extensive 40 shade offering and am intrigued to find out if it has that same soft focus effect brightening effect and flattering wear that Star has.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Mineral Moisturizer ($22.15 CDN from Ulta):I’m dedicated to using sunscreen daily to minimize the sun damage, pigmentation and inflammation that my skin has but I really struggle to find a SPF product that my uber sensitive skin can tolerate – I’m someone whose skin hates chemical filters – and I’ve heard really positive things about the new version of Aveeno’s moisturizer. It’s mineral based and has some promising anti-irritants. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen this available in Canadian stores as of yet.

Kiss Blowout Lashes Multipack in Pageboy ($15.54 CDN from Ulta):I bought the single set of these lashes a week or two ago and wore falsies for the first time in my life, finding myself liking the results. I loved how weightless they were. I like how subtle they were, adding thickness and wispiness for the most part – only subtle in comparison to other lashes, I note – and how relatively easy they were to use. Like an idiot, I ruined my pair when removing the glue and I want another few pairs. They were definitely beginner-friendly and the thin band made them incredibly comfortable.

NARS Natural Radiance Longwear Foundation ($60 CDN): Any foundation that has radiance or glow in its name has me instantly intrigued but upon hearing that it’s super-smoothing over texture and imperfections, my interest has definitely been piqued. Also, I’m kind of embarrassed for not having many foundation favourites with extensive and inclusive shade ranges to recommend and I’d like to remedy that. And in order to do that, I need to try more foundations that fit into the category. It comes in 33 shades and supposedly works on a variety of different skin textures and types.

Rosegirls Limited Edition Mini Melters in Cool Beans ($7.50 US):As much as I’ve been trying to melt through the stash of wax that I have, I can’t let the re-release of this favourite sweet lavender blend of mine pass by without picking up a bag. It’s so calming with a blend of sweet lavender and peppermint that’s offset by a hint of the sweet vanilla bean noel. If you like lavender scents and want to or are willing to order from an indie vendor.

Any thoughts?
Maggie, x.

Can you believe it? I’m actually writing a post about makeup. What is this?

The Viseart Theory Palette in Cashmere retails for $60 CDN and comes with 0.42 ounces of product. The eyeshadows are large so they aren’t atrociously expensive on a $ per gram basis; the palette works out to $142. 86 per ounce which isn’t much more than Urban Decay Naked ($110 per ounce) and is much better than the Anastasia Soft Glam ($196.43 per ounce). Viseart describes the palette as a”unique, compact, six-pan eyeshadow palette with matte and shimmer shades and removable pans that also fold into a working easel”. They also claim that the unique colours in the range provide “unparalleled coverage, pigment, and all-day, long-lasting colour”.

You could argue that some of the colours aren’t super-unique but that could be said of any neutral palette in existence. I would say that the pigmentation and longevity is fantastic – and I’m not someone that eyeshadows naturally stay put on particularly well. The pans are magnetized and removable, which allows you to create a custom palette if you purchase multiple shade offerings or to easily remove them into a magnetized palette for ease of use. These six shade palettes typically consist of a 50/50 shimmer and matte mix, which is a change of pace for Viseart, as they typically do one finish palettes. For those who are curious, the eyeshadows are cruelty-free, gluten-free and silicone-free.

The eyeshadows have great pigmentation and longevity but their greatest asset is how easy they are to work with. The shimmers are a bit sheerer than the mattes but less sheer than they tend to be in the larger Viseart palettes. The colour payoff is excellent and there is minimal fallout. I really like this palette as a standalone neutral offering that leans a bit smoky and offers versatility. The shade selection could only be improved on my moderately fair skin if there was a shade in between the matte pale ivory and medium brown shades for blending in the crease. Because of the lightest two shades in the palette, Cashmere would be the most versatile on fair to light-medium skin.

The formula does not feel as buttery as silicone-laden formulas nor does it swatch as impressively, but the performance on the eye is even better and there’s little fallout and excellent longevity without creasing. The Theory Palettes are an excellent way to sample the Viseart eyeshadow formula without committing to the twelve pan palette.

The Shades

Shade One is a pale ivory matte shade with a smooth formula and it functions as an excellent matte highlight on fair skin. It’s similar to many shades but oddly, I own few of them. It’s one of those base shade or brow bone highlights on fair/light skin.

Shade Two is a medium-dark brown with neutral to warm undertones. It has a great creamy texture for this shade with its matte finish and is practical to use blended out into the crease, in the outer corner and along the lower lash line. This shade is really close to Dark Brown from the Lorac Pro 3 Palette with an even better formula but is slightly lighter.

Shade Three is a matte deep blackened taupe with an impressively smooth, workable and pigmented formula for being in the black alternative family. It’s an excellent shade to smoke out the outer corner and v, smudge liner and to add general smokiness. I don’t think I own anything similar because I never ever buy matte eyeshadows.

Shade Four is a smooth, sheeny pearlized whitened pale pink-champagne with medium payoff. It’s excellent on fairer skin as a pale lid shade or inner corner highlight. I’d describe it as a lighter version of Urban Decay Sin.

Shade Five is a light-medium warm taupe with more obvious shimmer and smooth light-medium pigmentation. It’s a unique warmer and more shimmery version of MAC Patina and it’s really close to Gitte from Viseart Sulty Muse.

Shade Six is a medium-toned shimmery mushroom taupe with a warm lean and smooth medium-strong pigmentation. It’s a darker and more intense version of MAC Satin Taupe. It’s a nice smoky lid shade or shimmery crease colour.

I’ll end this review by talking about the uniqueness factor on this palette. It might not seem unique or worthy of the splurge but I think it’s impossible to be both unique and versatile as a six shade neutral palette that can easily be used on its own. The nice subtle nuances of colour and the ease at which you can customize your own palette make me want to recommend this palette to others if you’re ready to invest.

Any thoughts?
Maggie, x

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream ($75 CDN/1.69 ounces) claims to be “a retro-style moisturizer that rescues dry, dull skin while slowly delivering a steady dose of barrier moisture throughout the day and night” and I surprisingly find myself saying that the moisturizer achieves what it claims. I did first try out this product in a sample size from a value set and found myself purchasing the full size because of the calming and comforting action it provided. The one thing I will say about the claims is that I question any topical moisturizer kind of product that can ‘firm’ the skin’s appearance because of how difficult it is to firm the skin and how subjective this claim is, as it’s talking about the skin’s appearance. However, the moisturizer does help to rehabilitate the skin’s appearance and adds brightness that can be lost when the skin is dry and irritated. It also does provide moisture that does not dissipate quickly, containing the six African oils that the formula boasts about.

In terms of packaging, the airless pump is excellent – from a hygiene and ingredient stability standpoint – and you can’t dislike the simple aesthetics of the lilac and white design, but I’m not sure I love it quite enough to want to part with $75 CDN to quickly repurchase it. My general recommendation would be to consider giving the cream a shot if you’re struggling with persistent dryness and sensitivity, especially if a thick whipped texture appeals. If thick butters can clog you, I’d probably stand far away from this but it’s excellent when dealing with conditions such as retinoid-induced dermatitis and extreme weather changes.

Now let’s get down to the ingredients. It’s fragrance and irritant free, consisting of emollients, glycerin, antioxidant and fatty-acid-rich plant oils and barrier-repairing ingredients. The brand is cruelty-free as a whole and in all honesty, I’ve been unable to get a clear answer whether or not this particular product is vegan. Now lets get to the rundown of the other ingredients: it starts off with the water-binding agent, glycerin, that’s a skin-identical and repairing substance that’s essential for barrier repair. Many of the ten first ingredients are emollients which is why I primarily would only recommend this cream for a drier skin that tolerates thicker butter consistencies without clogging. The formula is laden with fatty acids and contains a decent amount of the antioxidant rich green tea oil, that has specific evidence of being calming and reducing irritation. There are a myriad of other antioxidant-rich plant oils in the formula, also. It contains a specific plant extract called plantar lanceolate leaf extract, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties and is believed to increase the speed of healing. Another notable ingredient is a hyaluronic acid cross polymer, which also serves to increase the hydration of the skin.

Any thoughts on Drunk Elephant?
Maggie, x.

P.S. I purchased mine from Sephora but it’s also available from the Drunk Elephant website. Currently the brand is only available in North America but it has an upcoming UK launch.

I’m back (I thiiiink) and I hope to stay. This time, I’m only going to subject myself to the goal of three posts per month in hopes to not overwhelm myself. I spoiled myself, I think, with a fairly regimented skincare routine for three years or so and so when I stopped using it consistently for a few months (particularly my prescription retinoid), I definitely noticed a difference. About six weeks ago, I eagerly found myself going back full-tilt into my skincare routine but I definitely found I had to make some adjustments; I definitely did experience some purging. I will note that experiencing stress and fighting off a few different bugs along with re-introducing actives into my routine definitely played a role. Do I even know what I’m trying to say? Basically, I’m saying that I experienced some breakouts as I reacclimatized my skin to a routine and I’m going to share some of the most essential products I used while dealing with these. I hope the advice and product recommendations could help someone struggling with consistent breakouts or maybe a random outbreak. I have five products to mention but I’ll have to give a possible shoutout to a serum I used containing a nice dose of niacinamide, as it may very well have drastically helped with normalizing pore activity and helping with inflammation.

Paula’s Choice RESIST Advanced Pore-Refining Treatment with 4% BHA ($36 US):Despite being more of an AHA kind of girl when my skin is in complete order, I found myself reaching for a BHA on a very regular basis because my issue was mainly stubborn pore congestion, which BHA that is formulated at the proper pH, in an effective concentration, does incredibly well – when they are not laden with irritating ingredients, that is. It helped so much that I definitely overdid it with chemical exfoliation by using this daily all over the face. It was not irritating despite the high percentage of BHA because of the timed release formula and the inclusion of a myriad of antioxidants, anti-irritants and cell-signalling ingredients. It quickly made work on my congestion and did a particularly impressive job on my quite severe monthly hormonal breakout around my chin. I like to use it a few times a week as my chemical exfoliant but I also love using it as a spot treatment to clear up stubborn congestion.

Differin Gel XP: I’m not going to include a picture or a price of this prescription adapalene because its price and appearance greatly changes upon the market. I had been using Differin religiously for a few years before I accidentally stopped for months and I believe this stopping was the main cause of the problematic congestion popping up for me. When used long-term, I personally experienced a dramatic reduction in breakouts to maybe 1-2 per month, almost no pore congestion and a significant reduction to post acne inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I accredit to helping my skin return to its less congested state. If you suffer from congestion that is difficult to treat, I recommend talking to your physician about topical products such as this one. I do note that the regular strength is OTC in the US.

Paula’s Choice Calm Redness Relief SPF 30 Mineral Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin ($29 US):I encourage everyone to use SPF all the time with religious devotion but this is particularly important (in a cosmetic way) for healing breakouts, as it radically reduces the inflammation that allows them to heal and prevents the marks from darkening due to sun exposure. This sunscreen is the easiest for me to use as it works as a moisturizer and does not irritate my skin. It has loads of nice emollients, anti-irritants and antioxidants and doesn’t contain irritating alcohol, fragrance etc.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm ($38 CDN):I believe thorough cleansing is necessary for all skin types and conditions but when you’re suffering with congestion or unsightly spots, it’s even more important to thoroughly cleanse without stripping or irritating the skin further to prevent further congestion. I like using this fragrance-free cleansing balm to break down makeup and sunscreen before following with an uber-gentle cleanser to finish the cleansing job and pick up any remnants of makeup. The gentle cleanser will also ensure the skin is truly cleansed afterwards.

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil ($9.90 CDN):Because acne is an inflammatory disorder, you are going to be dealing with some degree of inflammation and irritation from both the breakout itself and the process of healing it. I like this rosehip seed oil as an addition to my routine to help combat this inflammation and irritation. It’s entirely an organic antioxidant-rich plant oil – without potentially problematic essential oil components – that is rich in fatty acids as well, helping to combat inflammation and restore the skin’s barrier. An impaired skin barrier often leads to even more breakouts, so it’s important to take steps to ensure its not compromised.